Time to take North Korea dead serious

Recently, the North Korean army warned the U.S. government that its military has been cleared to wage an attack using “smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear” weapons.

The threat from the unnamed Army spokesman is one in a series of escalating warnings from North Korea, which has railed for weeks against joint U.S. and South Korean military exercises in South Korea and has expressed anger over tightened sanctions for a February nuclear test.

It’s difficult to know just how serious to take the North Koreans. Their constant bashing of the United States has been going on for years. But with its new leader in place and uncertainty about how he and the military interact, there is the possibility that North Korea could attempt a nuclear attack on South Korea, Japan or even the United States.

The National Security Network, an information organization often in line with Obama administration positions on national security, may not have access to inside information needed to know just how real the Korean threat is taken in Washington, but NSN does a good job in seeking out diverse assessments.

The points and positions made in a position paper titled “Right-Sizing the Threat Assessment of North Korea,” seem to be insightful and non-partisan:

“Experts stress that while North Korea’s threats should be taken seriously, Pyongyang’s key motivation is to score political points domestically and to test the new South Korean administration — not to start a war. The North lacks the military capability to follow through on many of its threats, and questions on the state of North Korea’s nuclear program remain as the intelligence community sifts through the data from last month’s nuclear test.

“Going forward, the challenge for Washington will be to continue unequivocal and strong support for American allies in the region while allowing North Korea the space to dial down its rhetoric. Policymakers in Washington should be careful not to over-focus on today’s headlines, as Congress and the Pentagon set long-term plans and budgets for the U.S. military.”

And the bottom line: Pentagon spokesman George Little offers sensibly, “Our desire is peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The North Koreans have two choices. They can choose the path of peace or they can choose the path of provocation. One is better than the other for everyone involved, including the North Korean military and the North Korean people.”